(ACT 1) BARD SONG: A BG3 FANFICTION

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖓𝖔𝖒𝖊

"What in the hells are you doing?" Aera snapped. 

The goblin  frowned at Aera. "What does it look like we's doing?" 

"It looks like you're torturing this poor creature. Release him at once." 

"Stop this thing! Please!" The gnome cried as he spun. The windmill creaked with every turn. Aera watched the gnome as he spun, feeling pity. 

The goblin and his friends laughed, anger boiling within Aera. She set her jaw, putting her hand on her dagger. 

"Did I stutter?" 

The goblin snorted, then looked at the others. Gale was looking at him in annoyance, Astarion in amusement, and Lae'zel with a murderous, yet hopeful expression, as if hoping he tried to attack. 

"Who the hells do you think you are?" The goblin asked. "You think yous can tell me what to do?" 

She noticed the symbol on the goblin's eye, but she felt no pull from the tadpole, no sense of authority over the creature. She would have to try and do this herself.

"Your boss sent me here, and I don't think he'd be very happy to know that you're wasting the Absolute's time by bullying a gnome," Aera lied, crossing her arms and looking down at the goblin with disdain. She remembered the goblins at the gate speaking of the Absolute, so she tried to make it seem as if she knew who that was. 

It didn't work. 

"Shut it lady," he snapped. "I ain't never heard of you's before. Take your friends and get lost before we teach you's a lesson." 

Lae'zel stepped forward then, her Greatsword unsheathed. "If you lay a hand on her, you won't have the chance to blink before I've taken your ugly head from your shoulders." 

Aera, Gale, Astarion, and the goblin stared at Lae'zel in shock. 

She held eye contact with the small creature. 

"Alright, alright," the goblin snapped. "We's will leave." 

As Aera felt relief, the goblin looked back up at her. He studied her, then pointed at her face, his beady eyes laced with confusion. 

"What are yous doing out?" He asked. "Devor wouldn't lets you out!" 

Aera felt her blood run cold. "What?" 

"What the hells are you doing out?" He repeated, getting a bit closer to her. "How would he feels if he knew one of his pets was out and about?" 

Aera was so shaken, she wasn't sure how to respond. Her mouth fell slightly open. Devor was known by most along the Sword Coast, but hearing his name from the goblin was the last thing she expected. Despite knowing what she did, the goblins words sent an unwanted fear through her and broke her stoic composure. 

"He released me," Aera lied. 

The goblin laughed. 

"Means he must haves no use of you. He really gots you good." The goblin pointed at her face once more, grinning to reveal a row of sharp teeth. "You's hideous."

Aera went to say something, but Gale stepped forward, a ball of blue, electric magic sparking in his palm. 

"I suggest you leave," Gale said. "We won't ask again." 

The goblin noticed the magic and frowned at the man, who was looking at the goblin with warning. Gale held eye contact with the goblin as he backed away until he turned, getting his friends to leave along with him. 

Aera let out a breath, but found she was unable to look her companions in the eye. 

"Shit. Would have been fun to kill a few goblins," Astarion said. Lae'zel nodded in agreement.